Electrical apparatuses, for example electrical equipment, electrical appliances, etc., have motors that drive their operation. Many electrical apparatuses have a motor that operates continuously while others have motors that are designed to operate intermittently for the functional purpose of their use. For example, a sump pump is one such electrical apparatus includes a motor that cycles on and off based on water level and a control mechanism that senses the water level. The control mechanism turns on the motor when it receives a signal that water reaches a predetermined level in a sump well, for example, and turns off the motor when it receives a signal that the water recedes to a lower level. As another example, a thermostat of a freezer controls a compressor motor that provides cold air to the freezer. The control mechanism of the freezer turns on the compressor motor when the temperature of the thermostat is greater than a desired set-point temperature, and the control mechanism turns off the motor when the freezer cools to the desired temperature, which is typically lower than the set-point temperature.
Electrical apparatuses having alternating current (AC) motors are plugged into an AC outlet having a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) or a GFCI as a component of the electrical apparatus and located upstream of the motor for safety. A problem can exist, however, where the GFCI randomly trips, or breaks its circuit contacts, unbeknownst to the user. Any motor shutdown in an electrical apparatus in which the motor runs continuously is typically noticed. For example, when a motor of a swimming pool pump which otherwise normally runs continuously shuts down, it is likely to be noticed sooner than the shutdown of a motor in an electrical apparatus which cycles on and off. In a motor which cycles on and off, it may be difficult to know whether the GFCI has been tripped or whether the motor is in the “off” cycle of operation. Once it has been discovered that the GFCI has been tripped, the GFCI can be reset. However, prior to resetting the GFCI and depending upon the elapsed time, expensive damage may result. For example, in the electrical apparatuses described above, a tripped motor of a sump pump may result in a flooded sump well or living area and a tripped motor of a freezer may result in spoiled food.